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The Obama Transition and Special Interests: Peace Action

 

 

 

 

In an exclusive interview with DC Special Interests Examiner Ron Moore, Peace Action Executive Director Kevin Martin, articulated the mood in the peace community as the nation transitions from the Bush to the Obama administration. Peace Action, a grassroots organization with over 100,000 active members is a long time independent voice that is respected as a principled advocate for the cause of peace.

 

Addressing the end of a very long campaign season that began with the Iraq War driving the conversation but ending with the economy taking center stage Martin was optimistic about the country’s mood. “I think the best thing about the campaign was that so many millions empowered themselves to make change and I think most of those people want more change than just the pendulum swinging from Bush to Obama, from left to right.”

 

“I think Obama got it just right when he said ‘You know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead.’”

 

Martin is cautiously optimistic when he discusses the temptaion to run the government as an extension of the campaign. “I am concerned however that Obama is engaging his donor list and putting out good stuff asking for contributions but it may be an indication that the transition is turning into a top down operation to support Obama. But the question in a democracy is if the people want him to go further will he follow the people and be accountable to them?”

 

Obama’s cabinet appointments leave little room, well no room actually, for anyone from the anti-war wing of the Democratic Party, but Martin is focused on the mission. “The reason Obama beat Clinton was his initial opposition to the war. I’m concerned that if people on the left get marginalized by the centrist foreign policy elite we may end up with what looks more like a Clinton restoration. I guess if I had to name someone in the inner circle at least nominally closer to our position it would be Zbigniew Brzezinski but he’s no progressive and he’s certainly no pacifist. Certainly Kucinich and other progressives won’t have a place at the table and we’ll have to see if U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice is marginalized in her new position.”

 

He believes that principles matter and policies have real results that impact real people. “I don’t think it’s a smart strategy to be incremental and shut up about the end goal. Even with two terms Obama may not feel he can do it all. But it is our job to push him as advocates. Bush and Gates want to build new nuclear weapons but if Obama is on record to eliminate them why build new ones? It can’t be both.”

 

Martin describes Peace Action members as pretty sophisticated and experienced activists who understand what’s in front of them and what is most urgent. “Most of our members can pivot from oppositional style organizing to something that is more nuanced and realistic and continue to be independent and non-partisan. At the same time they understand that Obama is no Gandhi. People are eager to make real progress after eight years of the Bush dictatorship”

 

As for the role of diplomacy which has been diminished during the Bush years Martin states that it is better to: “talk, talk, talk than war, war, war. It may be a low bar because of Bush but the solutions that we need are going to require negotiations. The status of force agreement in Iraq was complicated but it happened because of a process of negotiation. We will need to negotiate with the Taliban and other foreign elements and hold regional negotiations with Iran and Pakistan.”

 

“The world wants to see the U.S. behaving as adult members of the international community. Simple non-controversial steps like closing Guantanamo, not as a public relations move but as a principled stand along with ending torture and rendition. We’ve got to be serious about the Kyoto protocols and the Senate needs to ratify the test ban treaty.”

 

The Obama promise to remove troops from Iraq has morphed into a shift of troops away from Iraq to Afghanistan rather than returning them home. On this issue Peace Action is resolute in its stand and will not mince words when they disagree with Obama. “We’re going to vigorously oppose that and be adult about things, the hardcore activists, the top activists understand this. Maybe the pro-Obama people will not want to see criticism, but people are going to have to get over treating him with kid gloves. We don’t disrespect him but our role is as an independent and non-partisan voice. We’re not the party and it’s not our job to cheerlead for him.”

 

It’s clear that Peace Action is organized around an unyielding set of principles that don’t change with the political winds. Kevin Martin, as the Executive Director knows what his members believe and is indefatigable in his commitment to Peace Action’s mission. In other words, they’re not interested in making deals but rather in making a difference. And to them that’s no slogan; they believe its going to come to pass.

 

“We have 100,000 members because we believe in something and we will advocate for our issues. We won’t compromise an important position simply to give a president political cover in hopes he will make it up to us down the road. We can’t start to chip away at international treaties and come up with less in the end. The world expects better from us and it’s our job to push any administration for real solutions.”